Tying the knot this year? Why it's important to make a will

It’s Wedding Season!!! Tying the knot this year? Why it's important to make a will if you’re getting Married, you’re in a Civil Partnership & even more so if you’re living together.

It’s important for you to make a will whether or not you consider you have much valuable ‘stuff’ or much cash in the bank. Even if you are now going to marry the love of your life you still need to protect your loved one by making a formal arrangement via a will.

So what’s the bad news? Well, if you die without a will, there are certain rules which dictate how the cash, property or ‘stuff’ should be allocated. This may not be the way that you would have wanted your money and possessions to be distributed. Unmarried partners and partners who have not registered a civil partnership cannot inherit from each other unless there is a will, so the death of one partner may create serious financial problems for the remaining partner.

If your circumstances have or are going to change, it is important that you make a will to ensure that your money and possessions are given out according to your wishes. For example, if you have separated and your ex-partner now lives with someone else, you may want to change your will. If you marry after the end of March or enter into a registered civil partnership, this will make any previous will you have made invalid.

If you’d also like to make a legacy pledge to a charity close to your heart then it’s important to use a solicitor to specify either a set amount or a percentage of the remaining estate on your death. This will ensure that the charity of choice can then continue to do this work way into the future. For further information about leaving a valuable legacy to The Lesbian & Gay Foundation please email debbie.edwards@lgf.org.uk

How much does a solicitor cost?

The charges for drawing up a will vary between solicitors and also depend on the complexity of the will. Before making a decision on who to use, it is always advisable to check with a few local solicitors to find out how much they charge.

Solicitors in the locality of The LGF’s work are taking part in our LGB specific ‘Will Week’ from Monday 28th April through to Friday 2nd May 2014. If you make an appointment with anyone off this list during this specific week a percentage of your fee paid will come back to The LGF to help us help LGB people in crisis this year (varying donations see full list for details).

Don’t forget to let us know if you make a pledge to The LGF in your will. Make a Legacy to your community & ‘Outlive your Life!’

Using this online service couldn’t be easier with a friendly ear just on the end of the line for any questions you have. Please use the code LGF2014 in the basket stage of the transaction and Nelson’s will donate 10% of fees back to The LGF over the next 12 months.